Powered mowing machine



9 A. F. MOYER 2,299,842

POWERED MOWING MACHINE Original Filed March 30, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l [VI/ENTOB 14/1405 E M0 YEE ga e @M 1 him 17- ToE/gg YJ' 27, 1942. A. F. MOYE R' POWERED MOWING MACHINE Original Filed March 30, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AVI/ENTOIZ /4Mos/ Mo YER ATToz/vs Y0" transmission between a Patented Oct. 27, 1942 OFFICE POWERED MOWING momma Amos F. Moyer; La .G

range, 111., assignor to Tom Manufacturing Corporation of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Original application March 30, 1940, Serial No.

326,918. Divided her 5, 194i, Serial and this application Septem- No. 409,755

Claims. (o1. Sit-25) This invention relates to power driven sickle bar mowing machines and more particularly to machines ofwthis type in which power is transmitted from the vehicle driving engine to the sickle bar attached thereto.

It is an object of thhe invention to provide an articulated power transmitting means between the power source of the automotive vehicle and the sickle bar. More especially, it is an object of the invention to provide a flexible articulated geared vehicle transmission box and the sickle bar in such a manner that the irregular rotary motion incident to sickle reciprocation is cushioned so as to prevent chatter in the geared transmission of the vehicle and thereby prevent destructive pressures upon the gears and other parts of the automotive transmission.

At the same time, it is an object of the invention to provide an articulated connection between the sickle bar and the automotive vehicle so as to permit the sickle bar to oscillate through wide vertical angles conformable to varying contours of the surface being mowed. Such wide vertical angles are important in mowing elevated boulevards, banks, ditches and the like, or where the machine is used for trimming branches of overhanging brush along highways where the desired angles are from vertically upward to 60 or more downward from horizontal.

It is a further object of the invention to provide automatic means for interrupting the delivery of power to the reciprocating sickle bar mower when the sickle bar encounters an obstruction. This is a great advantage on automotive sickles or any machine propelled by an internal combustion engine or a motor ofhigh speed and inertia because shocks can otherwise be transmitted, with consequent breakage of the parts.

It is likewise an object of the invention to provide means for tilting the finger bar and knife guards upwardly and downwardly in a vertical plane parallel to the path of motion of the sickle bar in order that the knives may be better enabled properly to engage different conditions of growth being cut, andto accomplish this end without adversely eflecting the power drive from the automotive vehicle to the reciprocating mower.

In the present invention, .the tilting of the sickle bar takes place about an axis parallel to is changed, even through an extreme angle either upwardly or downwardly. in the vertical forwardly extending plane. By contrast, tilting of the sickle bar in conventional mowers consists of a forward or backward displacement of the outer end of the sickle bar with consequent serious showing the power drive, sickle-supporting swing frame and the sickle head parts of the present invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a part of the device shown in Figure 1, showing the sickle bar mow g unit in normal operating condition.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3,

but showing the position assumed when the mowing unit strikes an obstructio Figure 5 is an elevational view partly in section along the lines 5-5 of Figure 3, showing :0 ing the means for adjusting the angle of incidence of the sickle bar.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the swing frame and a portion of the vehicle and sickle bar, of a slightly modified form of the so invention.

40 invention includes a power-operated mowing Throughout the drawings, corresponding numerals are used to designate corresponding The power mowing machine of the present unit of the reciprocating sickle bar type. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the

sickle is supported bya traction vehicle and the reciprocating sickle is power-operated .by the power plant of the vehicle, from the geared transmission thereof.

In, the drawings there is illustrated a traction vehicle. generally designated II, which includes r8- right-hand side frame member I I, frontcrossframe member If, and an intermediate crossthe length of the bar and the outer end of the bar is accordingly not caused to move either forwardly or backwardly when the angle of tilting framemember IS. The traction unit is preferably of the automotive type and includes an englue, the geared automotive transmission case of which is illustrated at ii. In Figuresii and 4 only the parts of the vehicle tothe right of the.

center line C-L are illustrated, it being understood that the chassis is of the conventional four-wheeled automotive type having front steering wheels and rear driving wheels.

The geared automotive trion case of the vehicle power plant is provided with a power take-off device l8, which is likewise gear driven, the 'power outlet bei'ng V-belt drive pulley- I'I for driving the sickle bar mowing unit 85 as hereinafter described.

The sickle bar mowing unit, generally designated 85, is mounted upon a traction vehicle so as to,extend laterally therefrom. In the apparatus embodiment of the invention, the mowing unit is carried upon the vehicle by means of a pivot shaft I9, which is carried by the intermediate cross-frame member l3 and the front cross-frame member I2. The shaft I9 is 'substantially axially aligned with the axis of pulley ll. Upon the shaft, there are pivoted lugs 28, which are solidly connected together by means of a tie brace 2|, the tie brace 2| and lugs 28 swinging as a unit around the shaft I9.

Upon the tie brace 2|, there is pivotally mounted a swing frame generally designated 22. The swing frame includes a tip 23, which is pivoted by means of bolt 24 passing through the tie brace 2|, the fit between the tip 23, the bolt 24 and tie brace 2| being sufliciently close so that the frame 22 is kept from tilting forward or backward.

The frame 22 has a heavy laterally and rear- T wardly extending frame portion 25, and a somewhat lighter laterally and forwardly extending frame'portion 28, which are connected together by means of an intermediate brace 21. The frame pieces 25 and 28 terminate in parallel bracket parts 28 and 29, respectively.

Extending forwardly from the bracket portion 29 is a lug 38, which is connected to the tie brace 2| by a spring clevis link assembly generally designated 32. The spring clevls link 32 includes a long clevis member 33 having its bifurcated end attached to the lug 38 by means of a bolt 34, the end portion 39 of the clevls being pierced so as to receive a rod 35, which is hooked into the eye 38 in the tie brace 2|. Mounted upon the rod 35 is a stop collar 31, which limits movement of the clevis member 33 in direction of the tie brace 2|. The free end of the rod 35 is provided with a washer and" nut 38, and between the nut 38 and the end 39 of the clevls 33, there is compressed a spring 42, best shown in Figure 4.

The spring 42 abuts against the nut 38 and normally forces the end 39 of the clevls 33 against the stop collar 31 thus normally forming a link of fixed length, the length of the link 32 being such that the swing frame 22 is normally held in an extending position at right angles to the axis of movement of the traction vehicle, this position being shown in Figure 3. However, when the sickle bar mowing unit, generally designate 85. runs against an obstruction 48 during the mowing operation, as illustrated in Figure 4, the entire sickle bar unit and swing frame is permitted to pivot backwardly around the pivot 24. In so doing, the spring 42 is further compressed.

The parallel extending arms 28 and 29 form a longitudinal axis about which the sickle bar mounting frame, generally designated 45, is pivoted for normal movement in a vertical plane.

The swing frame member 25 is joined at 28 frame 48 consists of an outwardly extending member 48, having an eye 41 which is Journalled upon the member 280 of the swing frame. Attached to member 48 is a forwardly inclined brace member 48 which is journalled in the member 29 of the swing frame. the member 48 having a downwardly extending piece 49 which is pierced to receive a bolt 58 passing through the member 29 of the swingframe. Beneath the Journal 280. and bolt 58, there is mounted a shoe 55 which unites the lower end of piece 49 with a member depending from eye 41. Shoe 55 is turned up at both the forward and rearward ends, the shoe being sufiiciently long to protect mechanisms on the swing frames. The underside of the shoe is provided with a reinforcement 58 as shown in Figure 2.

Extending downwardly from the member 48 of the sickle bar mounting frame are lugs 51 and 58 spaced to receive a pair of upstanding ears 88 and 8| on the sickle bar mowing unit, generally designated 85. Bolts 82 and 83 connect the pairs of ears 58-88 and 5l-8| respectively and form a pivotal axis longitudinally of the sickle bar unit about which the sickle bar may be tilted in a plane parallel to the path of motion so as to vary the angle of incidence of the mower with respect to the grass or weeds being cut.

The sickle bar mowing unit 85 is provided with a forwardly extending broad skid I8, upon the middle front portion of which there is mounted a bifurcated bracket 'll of the tilt adjuster. The bracket II is pierced to receive a round pin 12 which is transversely drilled and threaded to receive the adjustment screw 13.- The adjustment screw extends upwardly and passes through a second pin 14 of circular crosssection, which is held in bifurcated bracket I5 on the upper portion of outwardly extending member 48 of the sickle bar mounting frame. Screw I3 is provided with a pair of collars l8 and 11, which serve to prevent longitudinal movement with respect to the pin I4, and is formed intoaa crank-shape at the rear end, as shown at The crank I8 permits easy rotation of the screw 13 and since the rod cannot move longitudinally with respect to the the part I4 mounted in the bifurcated bracket 15, turning of the screw in member I2 moves the bracket II, and

hence the front end of the sickle bar, eithertoward or away from the bracket 15. This tilts the sickel bar mowing unit 85 and causes a change in the angle of incidence of the knives and knife guards thereon with respect to the surface being cut.

Upon the upper surface of the member 48, there is mounted upwardly extending brackets 98 and 92, to which a lift cable 9| and spring 93 are, respectively, attached. The upper end of the spring 93 is flexibly attached to the hook 98 on the side frame member II. Attached to the shoe 55 is a rearwardly and upwardly extending horn 94 to which a chain 95 is attached, the upper end of the chain being connected to frame member ll rearwardly of hook 98.

Concentric with the eye 41 on the sickle bar mounting frame piece 48, and within the journal on the swing frame member 29, there is rotatably mounted a pitman shaft I88 having a pitman wheel |8I at its forward end, and a double groove V-belt pulley I82 at its rear end. The pulley I82 is aligned with the pulley ll of the to a journal 28a; The sickle bar mounting 75 power take-oil I8, and a pair of V-belts I84 are mounted for'operation over the pulleys, tension length of the sickle bar mowing unit II, the acbeing maintained constant by an idler pulleyfill.

The pitman wheel III is connected by a pitman link I08 to the sickle knife III of the sickle bar assembly 65, and accordingly as the shaft Ill and pitman wheel IOI are rotated, the pitman link I! and the attached sickle, knii'eare oscillated back and forth inthe sickle bar. The sickle bar mounting frame 45may be rotated in a vertical plane about an axis through the journal on the end of the swing frame part 20, thisitxis also being passed through bolt 00. Since the pitman shaft I0. is concentric with this axis, angular movement of the sickle bar upward or downward does not effect the oscillation of the knife in the is fixed with respect to the outer end of the swing frame 22. Therefore, as the swing frame 1 is moved in a vertical plane about the axis of theshaft I0 asa center, the V-belts I04 are maintained under. constant-tension, and accordingly power is uniformly and efllciently transmitted to the pitman shaft I00 regardless of the vertical position of the swing frame 22 in its vertical plane of movement.

The clevis link 32 normally maintains the swing frame 22, and the sickle bar in a vertical plane at right angles to the, axis of rod I9. In this normal position, the belts I04 are maintained in strict alignment and under proper tension for transmitting power from the power take-off It to the I pitman shaft I00. However. when the sickle bar unit 65 hits an obstruction such as stone 40, and the swing frame-sickle bar unit is provided back-- wardly as shown in Figure 4, the pitman shaft pulley I02 is moved, not only backwardly, but also toward the power take-off pulley II, this tuation of the tilting mechanism doesnot cause the bar assembly to deviate from the vertical transverse plane in which the bar normally moves upwardly and downwardly. In previous sickle bar tilting m chanisms, the tilting pivot does not move with the bar about the pivot provided for oscillating movement, but is on the member here corresponding to theswing frame. Consequently such devices will displace the bar from the ver- :tical plane if actuated when the sickle is partially elevated, as in cutting a bank.

1 Hoisting of the sickle bar may be accomplished by applying a force on cable I by any suitable hoisting mechanism. As the sickle bar is moved upwardly, it tends to rotate the horn 04 about the axis of the eye 41 and pitman shaft I00, but since thehom 04 is fixedly coupled to the hook 00 by an inextensible chain 05, the swing frame is automatically moved upwardly. Additional adjustable lift mechanism for varying the datum position of chain 05 may be provided, if desired, as shown in the co-pending application of John S. Clapper, Ser. No. 320,902, filed February 26,

Other means for lifting theswing frame either separately from or simultaneously with the oscillation of the sickle bar to upright position, may be .details of the invention being obviously variable without departure from the essential features of effect being due to the fact that the pivot point to the tie frame member 2i for swinging about.

the bolt 24, the frame is held from tilting and the axis of shaft I00 is therefore normally kept parallel to the common axis through rod I8 and drive pulley I1. Accordingly, there is no twisting of the belts I04 and the belt tension is constant. However, by turning the crank 18 the angle of incidence of the mowing unit 65 may be changed, tilting being effected about an axis longitudinally of the sickle bar 05, through bolts 62 and 63, this axis being at right angles to the common axis of shaft I00 and bolt 50. Therefore, adjustment of the angle of incidence of the mowing unit produces no twisting effect upon the belts I04 and the mowing unit is efliciently operated regardless of the angle of incidence of the mowing unit as.

It will further be noted that, since the pivots 02 and 63 engage the sickle bar mounting frame 45, and swing with it about the axis of journal 20a and bolt in permanent alignment with the the invention.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 326,918 filed March 30, 1940.

I claim as my invention:

1. An improved power mowing machine comprising a chassis frame, a swing frame mounted on the chassis and extending laterally therefrom,

' said swing frame being mounted on the chassis for swinging movement upwardly and downwardly about a horizontal axis on the chassis frame and for backward swinging about a vertical axis adjacent the chassis, said swing frame being thus held against twisting movement, power transmitting means including a power shaft extending lengthwise of the chassis, said power shaft having a power-drive wheel thereon, a pitman drive shaft rotatably mounted on the extending swing frame, in a position so as to lie parallel to the power drive shaft, a pitman drive wheel on the pitman shaft and a belt operating on said wheels, the wheels and belt being maintained in proper tension and alignment and the pitman shaft held parallel to the power shaft by the swing frame, a sickle bar, means connecting the sickle bar and swing frame, including a pivot aligned longitudinally of the sickle bar, and means including an adjustment screw connecting the sickle bar and swing frame for varying the longitudinally pivoted position of the sickle bar with respect to the swing frame.

2. A mowing machine, a chassis frame, a swing frame, means mounting said swing frame for movement without twisting and in a vertical plane, a sickle bar mounting, pivot means joining the sickle bar mounting and the swing frame,

the axis of such pivot means being perpendicular 'to the vertical plane of movement of the swing frame, a sickle bar, a pivotal connection between the sickle bar and sickle bar mounting. the axis of said pivotal connecting being at right angles to the axis of the pivot means, and adjustable means connecting the sickle bar and sickle bar mounting for varying the pivoted position of the sickle bar with respect to the shoe.

3. A mowing machine, a chassis frame, a swing frame, means mounting said swing frame for movement without twisting and only in a vertiright angles to the axis of the pivot means, and a screw connecting the sickle bar and sickle bar mounting for varying the pivoted position of the sickle bar with respect to the shoe.

4. In a sickle bar mower, a frame, a sickle bar elevating pivot mounted on said frame, a pitman shaft with a pitman wheelthereon rotatably mounted parallel with the axis of said elevating pivot, a sickle carrier mounted for swinging movement on said elevating pivot, a sickle bar assembly having a knife bar, said assembly being pivotally connected to said sickle carrier, the axis of pivoting of said sickle bar assembly with reference to said sickle carrier being approximately at right anglesto-the axes of said sickle bar elevating pivot and pitman shaft, means connecting the sickle bay assembly and the sickle carrier for variably adjusting the. relativeposltion of said parts. and means connecting the knife bar and pitman.

5. In a sickle bar mower, a frame, a sickle bar elevating pivot mounted on said frame, a sickle carrier mounted, for W 8 movement on said sickle bar elevating pivot, a sickle bar assembly having a knife bar, said assembly being pivotally connected to said sickle carrier, the

axis of pivoting being approximately at right angles to the axis of said sickle bar elevating pivot,

adjustment screw' means connecting the sickle bar assembly and the sickle carrier for adjustably varying the relative position of said parts,

a pitman shaft having apitman wheel thereon, 1

said shaft being coaxial with said sickle bar ele- 25 'vating pivot and a pitman link connecting the pitman wheel and knife bar.

Amos 1''. Mom. 

